This is a list of colleges and universities in the Waterloo region of Ontario, Canada, including the city of Kitchener.

The University of Waterloo

This is one of the leading Universities in Canada and the best known university in the region. University of Waterloo offers a number of undergraduate programs in the arts and sciences, graduate programs, professional programs, master’s degrees and doctorate degrees. Certificate programs and continuing education courses are also offered. Students can enroll either full-time or part time. The university supports distance learning programs as well. The university reports high rates of graduate employment levels and earning potential. It’s also ranked the number one in world for employer partnerships.

Wilfrid Laurier University

Wilfrid Laurier is one of Canada’s best ranked universities. Students can earn higher degrees in arts, science, business, education, social work, and music fields. This is a public research university and has branches in other cities as well, including Toronto. This university is particularly popular among technology students. It is located in an area known as Waterloo-Toronto corridor, popularly referred to as the Silicon Valley of the North. There are many tech start-ups in the area, which sometimes offer internships. Wilfrid Laurier used to be a prominently undergraduate university, but now has transformed itself into a respectable research university.

Conestoga College

Conestoga is a great college for continuing education and part-time and courses in a variety of subjects including technology, business, life sciences, design, media, health and industrial skills. The college is known for offering skills training programs and apprenticeships to enter skilled trades. The college also has four-year degree programs that prepare students for jobs in a higher income bracket. While technically not a university, Conestoga often partners with local universities to offer joint diplomas and certificates. It allows students to get a university degree and college diploma at the same time. The college offers students employments counsellors to plan higher education.

Stanford International College

Holding the name brand of the famous American university, this college focuses on offering diplomas and certificate programs for vocational students. It’s one of the best schools to get trained in trade skills that readily prepare students for career. This college does not offer undergraduate degrees. It’s most suitable for professional training to get a job soon after graduating.

Medix School

Medix is a postsecondary institution in Waterloo that offers diplomas, certificates and other professional recognition for healthcare training. This is not a medical school. It mainly teaches students who intend to work in the healthcare industry like nurses, orderlies, paramedics and physical therapists. In Canada, the healthcare industry is a top earner. Students who have certificated from Medix will have a higher change of getting employed soon after graduation.

Liaison College

Liaison is a leading cooking school in Ontario. It’s known as the biggest trainer of cooks and chefs. Graduating students have more than a 90% placement rate in restaurants and hotels across Canada. It is part of the skills training curriculum. Anyone can apply, as long as they can professionally be trained to cook.

triOS College

triOS is a leading higher education institution in the region that offers training programs for non-traditional students. High school graduates, unemployed individuals, people who want to advance their careers and almost anyone else can enroll. Students can earn professional certifications and diplomas. triOS specialises in cutting-edge skills training programs in fields such as information technology. Programs are designed to help students find employment or advance in their respective fields.

Fees and tuition for higher education institutions in Waterloo are similar to those in other parts of Canada. Students who need financial assistance can receive federal grants if eligible.

The Waterloo region in Canada offers a number of facilities to assist people with disabilities. There are several community organizations and local government efforts to make Waterloo more accessible to people who are differently abled. Read ahead for a list of resources for people with disabilities in Waterloo.

Useful Websites

You can find detailed and comprehensive information regarding facilities for disabled in Waterloo online. Both government and nonprofits organizations run highly informative websites. Here are several useful examples:

The local government runs the website which has a special section dedicated to information relating to people with disabilities. Here you will find information pertaining to accessible customer service, housing, transportation options, community resources, support for children with special needs and website accessibility. The website also gives telephone numbers and email addresses to contact the agency to get more information.

www.wwhealthline.ca

Healthline Canada is a website and an online resource center dedicated to topics relating to a variety of health issues. The website has a special subsection for issues relating to children and youth with disabilities. In the section, under Waterloo, Wellington, there’s a lot of information relating to getting help and support for young ones with disabilities. The site lists programs children in Waterloo with disabilities can sign up for or consult with. Plus, you will be able to find a number of organizations that assist people with learning disabilities of all ages.

www.kwaccessability.ca

Access Ability is a non-profit organization located in the Kitchener Waterloo region. The organization’s website is essentially an information centre for people with disabilities in the region. The non-profit says its goal is to support the self-determination of people with physical disabilities. The information provided is well rounded, but there are more resources provided for physical disabilities than mental disabilities. The site gives everything from healthy living tips to schedules for recreational activities people with disabilities can participate in. The site also provides details regarding public computer access in the PHIRST LINK computer lab.

charityvillage.com/directories/organizations-a-h/disabilities

Charity Village, a well-known Canadian non-profit, maintains a directory of online and offline resources for people with both mental and physical disabilities. The directory is highly useful for finding legal resources for disability-related issues. Residents of Waterloo will have no trouble finding a local organization for support and resources. The organization also provides job listings and other virtual resources related to learning and finding support.

Community Resources

Ontario Renovates Program (Homeowners Repair Program)

This program is a part of the Affordable Housing (IAH) Program funded by both the federal and local government. This program offers financial assistance to people with disabilities in addition to low-income households. People with disabilities can get funding to repair the house to meet modern standards and to modify a house to make it more accessible to the person with the disability. The eligibility criteria may require a certain income threshold to qualify, depending on the number of people living in the house. People with disabilities can get funding as a forgivable loan.

Special Needs Access Point (SNAP)

This is a one-stop access point in Waterloo for parents of children with special needs. SNAP takes referrals from parents seeking child care for special needs children, care programs, community organizations focused on special needs children, and answers questions regarding accessibility. SNAP does not provide any services, but it does connect callers to organizations that do.

Extend-A-Family

The Waterloo branch of this non-profit helps people with mental or physical disabilities and their families find support to overcome challenges. It’s mainly focused on fostering good relationships among people with disabilities. This organization is a good place to seek support for a variety of issues facing people with disabilities. Family members can join even if the person with the disability is unwilling to or is unable to.

You can use any of the resources above to find support to help and assist a person with any disability.